Wire stripper with longitudinally offset cutting edges



United States Patent 3,143,013 WEE STRIPPER WITH LONGITUDINALLY OFFSET CUTTING EDGES Johnes A. Freeman, 3607 W. Alice, Phoenix, Ariz. Filed Jan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,648 2 Claims. (Cl. 81-95) This invention pertains to wire strippers and is particularly directed to a device for stripping the insulation from electric wire.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a wire stripper which is simple in construction and operation.

Another object is to provide a wire stripper requiring a minimum of skill and effort to operate in stripping the wire.

A further object of this invention is to provide a wire stripper which is readily adapted to strip various sized wires without any critical adjustment being required.

And it is still another object to provide a wire stripper which automatically applies the proper stripping pressure on the wire as the wire is being stripped.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hand held Wire stripper, incorporating the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the wire stripper shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front end elevation of the wire stripper shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of support mounted wire stripper incorporating the features of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the wire stripper shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of the wire stripper shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cutting edges.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention, there is shown, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a hand held wire stripper comprising the frame 10 having the integral grip handle 11. Fixed to the frame 10 is the lower anvil piece 12 rigidly held in place by any suitable means such as the rivets 13. A cutting edge 14 is formed by the faces 15 and 16 on the anvil piece 12.

The movable cutting edge 17 is formed by the faces 18 and 13 of the pressure arm 20 pivotally mounted on a suitable pin 21 carried in the frame 10. The rear portion of the pressure arm 20 has a thumb engaging trigger portion 22. The portion 22 is normally yieldingly moved upwardly to move the cutting edge 17 toward the cutting edge 14 by a compression spring 23 which engages the underside 24 of the arm 20 and is carried on a bolt 25 having a head 26 engaging the other end of the spring 23. The bolt 25 passes through a clearance hole 27 in the arm 20 and is threaded in a bore 28 of a pin 29 mounted in the upstanding integral boss 30 of the frame It).

The arrangement shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 except that the frame 10 is provided with an integral mounting shank 31 instead of the grip handle 11. Keyhole slots 32 are formed in the shank 31 to be hooked around nail or screw heads 33 carried in a suitable rigid support.

In use: The operator grabs the grip handle 11, FIGS.

1, 2 and 3, in the right hand and depresses the trigger portion 22. with a finger of the right hand. The wire to be stripped is placed on the anvil cutting edge 14 from the left with the desired length of wire to be stripped extending to the right of the cutting edge 14, FIG. 1. The trigger 22 is then released and the wire pulled outwardly to the left as the cutting edge 17 is held against it by the pressure of the spring 23 which is just sufficient to strip the insulation without in any way damaging of marring the wire.

The operation of the arrangement of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is the same as in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 except that the nails or screws 33 take up the pull as the wire is pulled out to the left, FIG. 4. In both arrangements it is preferable to have the cutting edge 17 slightly to the rear of cutting edge 14, as best seen in FIG. 7. This prevents direct contact of the cutting edges so as to preserve their keen edges and also provide a better stripping action since the edges 1417 are not diametrically opposite each other during the actual stripping operation, resulting in a more efiicient insulation removal with less elfort being required.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptation as fall within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters patent is:

1. A wire stripper comprising in combination:

(a) a frame,

(b) a transverse cutting edge fixed on said frame,

(0) a transverse movable cutting edge mounted on said frame for movement relative to said fixed cutting edge in a path of travel located to the rear of said fixed cutting edge so as to avoid direct contact between said cutting edges,

(d) means between said frame and said movably mounted cutting edge to normally yieldingly urge said movably mounted cutting edge relative to said fixed cutting edge,

(e) a grip handle fixed to said frame,

(1'') and a thumb actuated device associated with said movably mounted cutting edge for moving said movably mounted cutting edge relative to said fixed cutting edge when inserting and stripping a wire between said cutting edges.

2. A wire stripper comprising in combination:

(a) a frame,

(b) a transverse cutting edge fixed on said frame,

(0) a transverse movable cutting edge mounted on said frame for movement relative to said fixed cutting edge in an arcuate path of travel located rearwardly of said fixed cutting edge so as to laterally deflect the wire during the stripping operation to facilitate removal of insulation therefrom,

(d) means between said frame and said movably mounted cutting edge to normally yieldingly swing said movably mounted cutting edge relative to said fixed cutting edge,

(e) a combined mounting shank and grip handle fixed to said frame having a plurality of keyhole slots for securing said frame against the pull on the wire during the stripping operation,

(1) and a thumb actuated device associated with said movably mounted cutting edge for swinging said movably mounted cutting edge away from said fixed cutting edge when inserting and stripping a wire to be stripped between said cutting edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent Hill Oct. 23, 1934 Geary Feb. 5, 1952 Schneider Ian. 6, 1953 Reck Oct. 9, 1956 Frye Apr. 2, 1957 Mathias June 18, 1957 Sconzo Sept. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 3, 1950 Germany June 18, 1941 

1. A WIRE STRIPPER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A FRAME, (B) A TRANSVERSE CUTTING EDGE FIXED ON SAID FRAME, (C) A TRANSVERSE MOVABLE CUTTING EDGE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FIXED CUTTING EDGE IN A PATH OF TRAVEL LOCATED TO THE REAR OF SAID FIXED CUTTING EDGE SO AS TO AVOID DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN SAID CUTTING EDGES, 